The features of perforated peptic ulcers in conventional computed tomography

Background/Aims: CT is not usually of priority to evaluate the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, especially perforated peptic Weer. However CT might be employed when the presentation is atypical. The study was to summa rize the imaging features of perforated peptic Weer in conventional CT and assess its ability of detecting perforated peptic ulcer. Methodology: The CTs of 14 consecutive patients with perforated peptic ulce r confirmed by operation were retrospectively reviewed. The CTs were obtain ed after intravenous contrast medium, but oral contrast medium was administ ered only in 5 patients. The CT findings were correlated with surgical find ings. Results: Among these 14 patients, all the 14 patients (100%) had extralumin al aix accumulation, 10 patients (71%) had abnormal fluid accumulation, and 5 (36%) patients had inflammatory changes in surrounding soft tissues. In addition, conventional CT could only demonstrate the site of perforation in 5 patients (36%) of them. Conclusions: Conventional CT was valuable in the diagnosis of perforated pe ptic ulcer, and pneumoperitoneum was the most common feature. However the a bility of conventional CT in localizing the site of perforation was poor.